In teaching phonics, beginning with "cam, bit, hop, and tub" and then moving to "came, bite, hope, and tube" is an example of what?

The correct answer highlights a key principle in phonics instruction known as progression from simple to complex linguistic units. In this approach, instruction starts with basic, one-syllable words that have short vowel sounds, such as "cam," "bit," "hop," and "tub." These words are foundational for learners as they introduce straightforward phonetic concepts and allow for easier decoding.

As students gain confidence and understanding with these simple words, the instruction progresses to more complex forms of the same words—namely, those that incorporate long vowel sounds, such as "came," "bite," "hope," and "tube." This transitioning to longer vowel sounds expands students' phonetic knowledge and helps them learn to differentiate between short and long vowel sounds while retaining familiarity with the original consonant sounds and structures.

This method effectively scaffolds learning, ensuring that students build upon their existing knowledge in a coherent and structured way, which is essential for developing their reading skills.